A matter of Blood
by willie-chan
Summary: Syaoran is back and so is Eriol, what they don't know is that it's not just a nice coincidence. Something obscure from Clow's past has emerged and now it seeks revenge, but that battle must be held by those with his own blood and magic S+S,E+T EPILOGE up!
1. Arrivals and encounters

Dedicated to Okino (my CCS obsessed cousin). You rock!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
A Matter Of Blood By Willie-chan  
  
Chapter I Arrivals and encounters  
  
I remembered the day you went back to Hong Kong: That was probably the hardest day of my life. The days after that one were the saddest days of my life. I was trying not to forget you, because, even if it hurt: It was better to hate you, than not feeling anything for you. But I just couldn't hate you, so I had to keep handling the pain of your leaving.  
  
I never knew that you actually loved me.  
  
Until you told me. And though, it was kinda late. Silly me, I couldn't realize it before.  
  
Anyway, today, it's been 6 years since you left and I keep wondering why? I keep wondering why did you have to return to your mother's side? It's true that she gave you birth, and because of her you're alive, and that you owe her almost everything in your life. But yet if you think it this way, you should have stayed with me. Yes, she gave you life, and I gave you a reason for living; she fed your body, and I fed your heart; next to her you were secure, and next to me you were happy; you admired her, but you... loved me. How can anyone compare those feelings!  
  
But there's still a whisper of faith, because, if you went back to her, then you will come back to me  
  
And with those very words, Sakura closed her diary. It was supposed to be a letter for Syaoran, but she was to afraid of his reaction, so she decided to leave her feelings in a sheet of paper attached to her diary.  
  
"If I could just see you again" she thought "I would love to tell you how I feel, because, I never told you how I really felt 'bout you... and I'm sorry I didn't.  
  
And she went to sleep. She was too tired to go on.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ahh!!" Sakura yelled "I'm late again. Oniichan. Matte" "Mou" Touya said in an arid tone "Kaiju's always late" "I'm not kaiju" "However." "OK, this is where I leave" she said "Iitterasshai, oniichan."  
  
* * *  
  
"Ohayo Gozaimasu, Sakura-chan" Tomoyo said in her usual happy tone. There was something about the way she said Good morning that could brighten up the saddest man in the world's day. "Ohayo Gozaimasu, Tomoyo-chan" Sakura replied "Let's get in" the blue eyed girl suggested in a hurry "Terada-Sensei is already inside the classroom" "Today - Terada started in a casual tone" I am happy to be introducing you a new student, even if most of you already know him. I know you will be happy to see him again. Well, everybody welcome Li Syaoran." "Syaoran?!!" Sakura cried "Sugoi!! He's back, as he promised. Wai!!" "Subarashii desu wa" Tomoyo said "I'm sure you must be really happy, Sakura- chan, and, as long as you are happy, then, I'll be happy too." "What do you mean Tomoyo-chan?" "It doesn't matter, as long as you're happy because of Syaoran's arrival." "Hai, I'm really happy!!" "Ano... Matte" Terada said lifting his right hand to cup his chin "Oh! You'll sit behind Kinomoto. Next to Hiiragisawa. "Hai, Sensei" Syaoran answered, as he couldn't help putting his eyes on Sakura's. until he reacted. "Hiiragisawa??!!! What the hell is he doing here??!!" he thought  
  
He walked trough the hallway until he reached Sakura. He saw her. Her green eyes were shining like two sparkling emeralds in the middle of a dark night. She was full of hope and happiness.  
  
"Remember?" she said "Just like six years ago." "Hoe" It had been HIM who had said THAT this time. "Daijobu desu ka?" she asked concerned. "Hai Daijobu desu" he answered "I'm really happy to be here" "Well" she spoke almost in silence "so am I. I'm very, very happy that you're here" and she blushed furiously as a gorgeous smile appeared on her face.  
  
He was taller than she remembered, the Tomoeda High uniform looked better on him than on anybody else, and yet his look was as deep as before.  
  
"Good to see you again" a familiar voice said "I knew you would return my call" "Hiiragisawa..." he said, as he couldn't help giving him an annoying look "You came back" Eriol continued "as I can see. May I ask why?" "I have some business to take care of" he answered nervously "back here in Japan" "Sou desu Ka?" Eriol said in a biting tone "I thought it was because something else..." "Anyway" Syaoran said "what the HELL is Hiiragisawa doing here?" "Oh, sorry" Sakura replied embarrassed "I thought I had told you. He came back a couple of months ago." "But..." Syaoran hesitated "why?" "As you said Li" Eriol answered "I had some business to take care of, back here in Japan." "Well, what kind of business?" "I bet you know them pretty well" he said sarcastically "the Li kind of business. "I don't understand..." "Don't worry, Li Syaoran" he answered "when the time comes, you will."  
  
Other voices came into the conversation, they were full of joy. The three former speakers didn't complain, but they had surely wanted to finish their previous conversation, and now that the others had arrived they wouldn't be able to do so.  
  
"Hi Li" Rika said "how was Hong Kong?" "Did you see anything paranormal during your fly?" Naoko added "Did you know that in the eighteenth century, when somebody came back from a very long trip, people used to give him two living chickens, which symbolized their happiness because of their return and they also used to..." "Stop it Yamazaki!" Chiharu ordered "you and your lies again!! Just because we weren't aware of Li-kun's arrival, it doesn't mean that you have to invent such things!!" "Why don't we all discuss this while eating an ice cream after school, how about 4 PM?" a sweet, calmed voice said. "Great idea Tomoyo!!" Sakura said "you always know how to handle situations." "And I will bring my camera so I won't lose a detail of Li's arrival. Please Sakura, let me design the outfit you'll be wearing after school." "Okay Tomoyo" Sakura said with a nervous voice. She was kind of ashamed of wearing all those weird costumes Tomoyo used to make. "I promise it'll be a nice one this time." "Don't worry Sakura" Syaoran whispered "you'll look good anyway. Sakura smiled and blushed." "Arigato" she said almost in silence and still blushing "Kind as always. You haven't changed a bit, Syaoran-kun." "On that I can agree" Eriol said "you have not changed at all."  
  
End of chapter 1  
  
Author's notes: I know it doesn't seem that interesting at first sight, but trust me, things will get better and better. Li's and Eriol's arrivals are not just a nice coincidence. As the old saying prays: Be careful with what you wish, and now Sakura will have to face the consequences. Love it? Hate it? Let me know! 


	2. The ice melts

Dedicated to Okino, Jenny and Yogurt, for having the kindness of pre- reading. my mistakes are only mine, not theirs. Hope you like it!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
Chapter II The ice melts  
  
Syaoran looked at the time. It was now almost 4 o'clock, and Sakura and him found themselves again at Tomoyo's house. Sakura was trying another one of her dresses, while he was just wondering what the heck he was doing there. It seemed like nothing had really changed after all those years. And there she was, Sakura with that nervous smile, and he, he was just waiting for her to come out and. and then he would just swallow his words, his mood to tell her that, even if the costume was weird, she would always be the most beautiful girl in the whole world to him. Sakura came out then, and for his surprise, the clothes were nice this time, well, he couldn't say actually if it was the outfit. All he knew was that he was experiencing a weird feeling. If he could just touch her, run his fingers trough her brown-red hair and caress her face tenderly with his lips, he would die in that very moment.  
  
She just smiled nervously as she had always used to, grabbing with her shaking hand one of the folds of the short, black and blue dress she was wearing. Her hair had no longer those strange hats that Tomoyo used to make, no, this time it was free to show its red and brown highlights down to her shoulders. Her cheeks had turned red again, even if Tomoyo had only used a little bit of peach powder on them and some strawberry gloss on her lips. Her heartbeat raised to light speed; once again, her beloved was there, watching her. What if he didn't like her? She would die then. What if he said that she looked attractive? Then, with a smile on her lips, she would die too.  
  
"So..." she stepped in front of him "how do I look?" "I, I..." the Chinese boy smiled nervously "I think that you are..." "I believe you look like a Queen, Sakura!!" Tomoyo yelled, looking at her creation and holding her camera on the other hand "Incredibly beautiful" he breathed "Well" Sakura said, more comfortable with herself but yet blushing "thank you, both of you" "What do you say if we go now?" - Syaoran said - "It's almost four" "Oh yes" Tomoyo said "I had almost forgotten"  
  
So the three of them left, they walked calmly until they reached the Penguin Park it was like the old times, there they were: Sakura and Syaoran... and Tomoyo, always Tomoyo.  
  
"Over here!!" Rika shouted "Wow! It took you guys like a year to arrive!" Chiharu said "Yes" Naoko continued "maybe a ghost stopped you on the way" "Did you know that ghosts... ?" "Yamazaki!!!" they all yelled "It is great that you are finally here" a calmed voice said "Hi Eriol!!" Tomoyo said smiling "Subarashi desu wa that you are here too!!" "May I have your order" a familiar voice interrupted "Oniichan!!" Sakura said surprised "what are you doing here??" "I have a better question" Touya answered "what is that gaki doing here??" "His name is Syaoran and he is..." "Have you already taken their order??" another voice said "Yuki" Touya said "I told you to wait over there" "Yes, but it took you too long so... Anyway, may we take your order?" "Yes" Tomoyo said "we would like..." she started counting "8 ice-creams" "Which flavor?" Touya asked "Cherry" Naoko said "Cappuccino" Rika continued "Strawberry, for Yamazaki 'n' for me" Chiharu smiled before her boyfriend could even open his mouth "What about you young man?" Yukito asked "Whatever the young lady takes" Eriol answered looking at Tomoyo "It'll be vanilla then!" "Black Chocolate" Sakura said "And you?" Yukito asked again "Why are you asking that gaki??" Touya interrupted angrily "Touya..." "Same as her..." Syaoran sighed "Same as her..." "OK, we'll be right back, right Touya?" Yukito said cheerfully as always "By the way, nice to see you" "Yeah, as you say Yuki" Touya said in a sarcastic tone  
  
* * *  
  
Back in the kitchen Yukito changed back into Yue. That means something is wrong, because he didn't use to do that but at Kinomoto's house since Sakura had changed all the cards. Touya started to get worried. He wasn't sure if Sakura could handle this with her very own magic. She's stronger now, of course, but what if, what if... he just wanted to stop thinking, he wanted it so badly.  
  
"Sakura is in troubles, am I wrong?" Touya said "I am afraid so" Yue answered "we all are" "What do you mean?" Touya said "What is going to happen?" "I do not want to put you in danger" "Crap Yuki!!" he yelled in an furious tone "you know that I'm already in danger, 'cause of Sakura, 'cause of Kaho... 'cause of you" "I know" Yue sighed "but if something bad happened to you... I would never forgive myself" "You wouldn't have to" Touya said calmly "with or without you, my magic would put me in danger, right?" "Well... yes" "So it doesn't matter" he continued "at least with you I have someone I can trust. Yuki, you're my best friend, you know that. Never forget it." "I shall not" Yue answered "Yakusoku da yo." "Now... would you tell me what's going on?" "Well" he said "do you remember when I told you about Clow? Well, he was not the only sorcerer, you know, there was also a woman, she was also a great magician, she was even able to make her own cards too. Anyway, Clow was not really close to her, her clan did not really like the Li clan, but Clow did not really care about it. One day, she made appear a great storm. She was trying to capture a spirit, the spirit was really strong, but she was convinced that she could lock it up in one of her cards. Suddenly, she did not feel okay. She was young, but her body was not as strong as her mind and as her magic, it was not strong enough to handle that much magic. She had tried too hard. Anyway, she could not make it. Well, she was able to lock up the spirit inside the card, but, unfortunately, her body could not resist the battle and she passed away. The storm was now out of control. Everybody was running and screaming, everything was a mess and there was nobody to stop it anymore. So Clow came then. People begged him for help. He asked what was going on, and they told them that the sorcerer was trying to keep a spirit but everything had gotten out of control. So Clow helped them. He used "The Wind" to calm the storm, though it was really hard. So everybody in the Clan thanked Clow and started to look up to him, they even cherished him. They came to him to learn magic and to brake curses. The sorcerer was eventually forgotten, even if she had done many things for them and dedicated her entire life to watch over the Clan. Clow, without wanting it, had taken her place. Nobody remembered her anymore, and that is something that she would not accept." "And..." Touya said "what exactly does that have to do with us?" "The thing is" Yue continued "that she never got the sealed card back" "And who has it?" "That is exactly what put us in danger" Yue sighted "Clow kept the card" "And now she wants it back" Touya said in a cold, arid tone "If I could just remember her name... " "Anyway" Touya said "we still have to deliver that order, remember?" "Oh yes "Yue said as he turned back into Yukito" I had almost forgotten "Just let me ask you something before leaving, Yuki " " Anything, Touya" Yukito answered "Can I spit on the gaki's ice cream?" "Touya..." "Ok, I won't" Touya said in a bad mood "I had to try"  
  
* * *  
  
"Oh look!!" Rika said "the ice creams are here!!" "Sugoi!!" "So anyway, how was the trip Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked" I bet you must be really tired." "Uh...sort of..." he hesitated "it was kinda long" "And why did you decide to come back Li-kun?" Naoko inquired "Well" he vacillated "I guess it was partly because I missed you a lot guys!!" "Oh that seems so sweet" Eriol said sarcastically as he always used to "but may we know the REAL reason?"  
  
Syaoran looked at Sakura, blushed and ran away as fast as his legs could carry him. It was so typical.  
  
"Hey!" Tomoyo shouted "where are you going?" she couldn't see him anymore, he had just disappeared, so she just giggled as usual. "What's up with him?" Chiharu asked confused "Maybe he forgot something" Sakura said "Yes babe, did you know that in the ancient Egypt, men used to run long distances as fast as they could to get a forgotten object of their beloved ones to impress them?" "Yamazaki!!!" Chiharu scolded him "Or maybe a spirit scared him" "Maybe" Eriol said "but Li is the kind of person who is not scared by the spirits. I think he is the kind of person who runs when he is trapped." "You're right Hiiragizawa" Yamazaki continued "I've noticed too Li-kun's strange behavior around people, specially around this girl that we all know named..." "STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU!!!" the girls yelled. They haven't noticed that by then, everybody in the park was staring at them "Oh look!" Tomoyo squealed "It's getting late" she lied as the great actress she was "I think we should reschedule our little meeting" "Oh that's right Tomoyo" Sakura followed "I was supposed to cook dinner tonight"  
  
So everybody left the Penguin Park one by one, well Chiharu and Yamazaki left together, but anyway; until there were only Tomoyo and Eriol left. It was weird because Tomoyo's bodyguards weren't there yet. And there they were just starring at each other when it started raining. Eriol just took his glasses of and tried to clean them with a handkerchief. It seemed like he didn't care at all about the rain which of course, bothered Tomoyo, but for a strange reason she didn't care either in that very moment. That's the way it had always been. He: standing at the moonlight; She: standing on his side; always without saying a word, just starring and staring... and starring. She smiled at him.  
  
"You don't care if you get wet, do you?" Tomoyo smiled "Huh? Not really" he answered "you know, the rain is something that is no longer wonder for me. I know that I can make rain appear whenever I want to. How could I be bothered by something that I could create?"  
  
Tomoyo looked at him. It was kind of sad that he would never appreciate those spontaneous surprises in life. But it had been the way he had grown up to be like. He had been taught to be like that. How could the Reed of a great sorcerer have those insignificant human feelings? It was sad.  
  
"Well you could catch a cold" she said in a matter-of-factly tone and stared. Eriol shrugged his shoulders "Maybe..." "And you just don't care??" "I could" he continued "but I won't" Tomoyo was puzzled "Not following" "But on the other hand" he said calmly "I do care about YOU young lady getting wet." He took of his jacket and put it around her thin, pale body. She was wet enough to think she had just came out of the shower with out drying herself. She was wet enough to drive him crazy. She is going to catch a cold, she is going to catch a cold, she is going to catch a cold, and it is all going to be my fault... a voice kept repeating in his head. Why should I care? It is not going to be the end of the world. Wait a minute, why am I so concerned about her? She's got my jacket on herself. That jacket was supposed to be on ME not on HER. "Hey, are you okay?" "Huh?" "You seemed to be talking to yourself for a while." "Maybe I was..." "And. what does it feel like?" "What? Having two parts of yourself fighting to control your thoughts. Not being like everybody else?" "No. Just, being different" "I don't like it sometimes. At times if feel like people would never understand it and, as consequence, would never accept it." "But..." she said confused "It seems like you didn't care at all" "It seems" he sighed "you have said so. Do not judge the book by its cover." "Oh... " she lamented "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to..." "It is fine, at least you are being sincere. I have being waiting for that for my entire life: Sincerity, because my life has always been a lie" "Eriol-kun, tell me..." she continued with a calmed voice" do you believe in those things, and I mean, do you really believe that you're a part of someone else?" "Of course I do, I must believe. It is not like I have a choice my dear Tomoyo-chan" "Oh!!" she said surprised "this is the fist time that we call each other like that: By our first names!!" "My apologies" he begged "I just... I did not realize... I am so ashamed...." "I never said it was wrong" she laughed nervously.  
  
She hadn't been more nervous in her entire life. She felt like flying. It was so obvious, she was flirting, he was flirting. They were both flirting between shadows, within the rain.  
  
He stepped closer to her and held her hand. It was so soft against his roughness, so warm against his coldness. so perfect against his stained soul. He lifted it ever so gently to his lips and kissed it. She felt so confused and tried to smile back at him.  
  
She took his hand and pulled it back to her shoulders. She could feel the warmness of his smooth palm, of his tender touch on her almost naked shoulders. He pulled her to himself, he could share her breath, he wouldn't want to think then. Her breath had bewitched him: Fragrance, freshness, her soul. Suddenly he felt closer, he experimented a sensation he had never experienced before. He was as close as his body could let him before going out of his own skin: Her lips meeting his own. Caressing his entire being with her incredibly seductive scent. He heard her suppress a sob as her hair brushed his cheek: she was crying. This time, they were finally tears of happiness. Her head wanted to stop, but her heart wouldn't let her. She wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. She placed her hands on his face, cupped his chin, and caressed him with her mouth, trailing his nose, his cheeks... his lips. She hadn't been able to resist.  
  
They kissed for a while under the rain until they realized that it was really late. Tomoyo's mother would be very worried about her.  
  
"Why have not your bodyguards shown up?" Eriol asked, breaking the kissing "I don't know" she said stepping forward to him again "And I don't care" "This is not right Tomoyo" he said pushing her softly away, but yet holding her hand "your mother must be worried" "I don't... no, I'd be lying then... I do care about my mother being worried" "Shall I walk you home?" he asked. She just looked at him. "Do not answer" he continued "I shall walk you home."  
  
So they held hands in silence and walked together until they reached Tomoyo's mansion. The bodyguards weren't there so Eriol could walk her to the door.  
  
"Good night my dear Tomoyo-chan" he said letting her hand go "may your dreams be as beautiful as you are" Tomoyo blushed  
  
"Good night Eriol-kun" she answered with a smile that seemed impossible to hide "may you have sweet dreams too."  
  
Tomoyo closed slowly the door and as she did that, she followed Eriol with her eyes, until she couldn't see him anymore. The door was closed. She walked through the long corridor of her great mansion. She was singing Why is it that I find myself dreaming about you even when I am awaken? Would not it be wonderful I could dream about you and never wake up to see you gone? .... She was singing with that privileged voice of hers ...could not I forever dream and hope that you dream about me as well? For in my dreams you remain my soul mate.... It was such a lovely scene. It was like one of those displays in which the main actress realizes that she's in love with the guy. She reached her bedroom and she lay softly on her bed. She wrapped the covers around herself. She fell asleep, hoping to have sweet dreams, hoping to dream about that night. She didn't even change her clothes. She wouldn't want to change anything that could affect her memories. Her mother hadn't shown up in the whole night and she didn't show up in that moment either. It was weird.  
  
Eriol stared a while at Tomoyo's house from the corner. He was expecting her to come out from the door and go back to his arms, even if he knew it wouldn't happen. "Arigato" he sighed and kept walking. He felt weird. He lifted his hands up to his heart and closed his eyes "May you be released, guardians of my beloved" he said almost in silence. In that moment Tomoyo's mother came into the house and all of her bodyguards too. He wouldn't see her until the next day.  
  
* * *  
  
"Why would he run away like that?" Sakura said "How would you expect me to know that?" Kero answered "I'm just the card guardian, not a love counselor. But if you ask me, he has a great taste: Black chocolate ice cream is delicious" "Could you please stop thinking 'bout food and help me out?" she nagged him "Okay" he said in a defending tone "if that gaki means so much to you... I'll help you" "He's NOT a gaki!!!" she yelled and looked back at Kero "anyway, how could YOU be able to help me in this one??" "You'll see" he said in a fake mysterious tone "you know I'm a very talented cupid!!!"  
  
Sakura just stared at Kero, she couldn't believe that she was actually talking to him about that, but she couldn't shut up forever, and it was either telling Kero, or her brother. "Touya would never accept it" she thought, "I'd better ask Tomoyo". And she went back to bed. It was somewhat late and she hadn't been able to sleep in the whole night.  
  
End of chapter 2  
  
Author's notes: Now that was a long chapter! If you ask me, I think it will be the longest in the whole fic. Something is getting cooked up between Eriol and Tomoyo (Oh! I just LOVE Eriol ^^U, darn Tomoyo ¬¬). Never mind, things are getting pretty interesting with this dead magician, but only Touya and Yue know by now. I will try to update soon so I won't keep you all waiting, okay? Love it? Hate it? Let me know! Paste your review or e-mail me at willie_chan_himura@yahoo.com.mx 


	3. Reactions

Dedicated to Okino, Jenny and Yogurt, for having the kindness of pre- reading. my mistakes are only mine, not theirs. Hope you like it!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
Chapter III Reactions  
  
"Ohayo Gozaimasu, Sakura-chan" "Ohayo Gozaimasu, Tomoyo-chan" It appeared that that greeting exchange was some kind of a ritual for the two best friends. "So tell me Sakura" Tomoyo continued "you look kinda puzzled. Does it have something to do about our little experiment last night??" "Well" she answered "It's just that I can't figure out why would Syaoran run like that. I'm kind of concerned about his attitude, you know? It's just that... Are you okay Tomoyo?"  
  
Sakura looked back at Tomoyo, she looked sort of concerned too: concerned about something, concerned about someone. Tomoyo had the very same look that she did last night while she was talking to Kero.  
  
"Hai Daijobu desu (yes, I am okay)" Tomoyo answered absently 2Actually, there's something I need to tell you Sakura" "Of course Tomoyo" Sakura said even more caring "you know you can tell me anything" "Arigato" Sakura "For what Tomoyo?" "For being always there for me" Tomoyo answered "for being my best friend" "Anyway, what's the big secret???" Sakura said anxiously. "I need to tell you something Sakura" Tomoyo said "Last night, after everybody left... E.. Er" "Tomoyo" Sakura interrupted "why are you so nervous? It appeared like a ghost had scared you" "Did you know that in the 18th century, people believed that ghosts could actually..." "YAMAZAKI!!!" the girls yelled "Yamazaki Satoshi!!" Chiharu scolded him "when will you stop lying like that?!. No one buys that, anyway." "Please, Chiharu. Don't nag Yamazaki like that" Eriol said calmly "You know he is a very smart guy. It is just that you do not understand him"  
  
Tomoyo blushed as much as her pale face could. Se was actually as red as Syaoran used to be when he looked at Sakura when they were kids. It was unusual her being like that. Eriol walked up to where they were and stood between Tomoyo and Sakura. Tomoyo couldn't help being nervous.  
  
Suddenly, Sakura felt someone holding roughly her hand and pulling her strongly back. She felt like someone had pulled not only her body, but also her soul out of her own skin. She felt her body wrapped around by two strong arms. She was experimenting a weird sensation. It wasn't fear nor pain, but an unusual happiness, kind of an excitement.  
  
"How could you do this to me?" Syaoran told her. He looked furious "Hoe?" Sakura said "Ohayo Gozaimasu (good morning)", Syaoran-kun "Ano, Ano... Ohayo Gozaimasu" Sakura-chan" he answered nervously. How could I have told her that - he thought - God! I'm stupid! Now she must have thought that I jealous. Well, I was actually. What am I saying?!! Oh, Damned!! Syaoran no baka!!  
  
Syaoran was still holding Sakura and by that time Sakura had put her hands around his neck. She was trying to fix the polo neck of his jacket.  
  
"Everybody!!!" Sensei Terada shouted "the class is about to begin!!"  
  
Sensei Terada stared at them and Sakura, as Syaoran, couldn't do anything but blush. Now there were three blushing people: Sakura and Syaoran, and Tomoyo... always Tomoyo.  
  
Everybody went inside the classroom. It all looked normal except for the people sitting on the rows. Sakura was, as always, sitting next to Tomoyo and in front of Syaoran; but Eriol, he wasn't sitting behind Syaoran. Instead, he was sitting next to him: behind Tomoyo.  
  
Tomoyo was absorbed by her thoughts, she wasn't even listening to the lesson 'til the point she didn't care that sensei Terada asked her whether she was okay. She just kept staring at the horizon until a soft, warm wind blowing perturbed the calmness of the back of her ear.  
  
"Daijobu desu ka, Tomoyo-chan? (are you okay Tomoyo-chan?)" she heard almost in silence.  
  
Tomoyo gasped. It felt weird. It felt that more than having listened, she had felt those words.  
  
"Hai daijobu desu (yes, I'm okay)" she said without turning around "I do not believe you" Eriol said staring at her.  
  
A tear rolled by Tomoyo's face. Eriol held her hand.  
  
"Shall we go outside?" he asked her "You certainly do not seem fine" he continued as he took her outside of the classroom.  
  
"Now that we are alone" he sighed "would you please tell me why are you crying?" he said comprehensively, holding her. "Because. because" she hesitated "because of you" she broke down. "Because of me?" Eriol asked puzzled "but why?" "I." "Listen to me Tomoyo-chan" he said crying "the last thing I want is to hurt you, do you understand me? So please" he sighed between tears "don't cry for me. I'm begging." "Just the way you won't cry for me?" she said "I shall always cry for you, my dear Tomoyo-chan" he answered "because destiny is meant to hurt me. Because life is unfair and shall not let me have you without getting hurt."  
  
* * *  
  
It was a normal day for everyone else so everything was happening the normal way inside the classroom and after the couple left, Sensei Terada restarted with the class. He was teaching them calculus, it wasn't easy but everyone was trying to get it. Sakura had a lot of trouble catching up of course, she was as bad in math as she had been the years before and some things just don't change. Syaoran, on the other hand, had understood the procedure since the very beginning. He had always had that great love towards mathematics.  
  
"So, Syaoran" Sakura broke the silence "why did you leave last night?" "I had a call"  
  
Syaoran close is notebook as fast as his hands would let him. There was something written he didn't want Sakura to see. It was certainly not calculus.  
  
"A call?" she asked "from whom?" "From silence" he replied "from within, from the fear inside." "I don't understand" "Do you remember Hiiragizawa's coming back all from the sudden?" he spoke as calmly as he could "and then my coming back because of some businesses I had to take care back in Japan? Don't tell me you really thought it was a coincidence. Of course you did. I had forgot about your being so naive" he held her hand "which by the way, I must tell you, I loved." "So... anyway" she blushed "what about that call?" "Well. I just can't tell you here, but..." he said in a mysterious, but yet suggestive way "Come to my place after school. I'll tell you then. But I must warn you. Do not bring Kerberos: this is something that we must solve by ourselves. And please, don't say anything neither to Hiiragizawa nor Daidoubji. I don't want them to be worried. We'll ask them later." "Okay" she said "I'll be there"  
  
The bell rang.  
  
She kissed his cheek and ran away. He lifted his hand up to his own face, he touched his right cheek and felt it glossy: girlish taste, peach scent. Sakura had left a kiss drawn with lipstick on his face. He couldn't do anything but blush and stare. He was thinking about his unexpected victory: for the first time, it hadn't been him who had run away.  
  
End of chapter 3  
  
Author's notes: I apologize for not updating during the week but I've been having a hard time at school (I'm trying to get a scholarship for college, you know?). Anyway, Sakura and Syaoran are meeting ALONE AT HIS PLACE in the next chapter so tension will be growing bigger. Love it? Hate it? Let me know. Comments and reviews welcome! Love you all and thanks for reading 


	4. Of lost loves and rejections

DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
Dedicated to you, reviewers, who have always been my greatest support. You rock!  
  
Chapter IV Of lost loves and rejections  
  
It was nice outside, the sun was shinning a little and a cool wind was blowing. Syaoran was thinking about it when the doorbell rang. She had gotten early. So he asked her in. Sakura nodded smiling. He hadn't said anything about having tea together. Maybe she had just thought so.  
  
"I brought you a little something" Sakura said smiling as she took out some freshly baked muffins "I hope you like them. You know I've never been really good at cooking anyway." "Well." he was too nervous to talk right now so he tried to change the subject and of course, change the fact that he hadn't prepared anything for her "you shouldn't have. We're not here to talk about our day, but about business." "I know" she sighed "It's just that I didn't want it to be so serious" "Always so caring my dear Sakura-chan" he said to himself "That's the way it is supposed to be" he stood silent for a while "So anyway" she broke the silence "what about that call?" "I'm really concerned, since we've got all of the Clow cards" he started "I never thought something like this would happen after that" "Yeah, I thought so too. That, those strange things were over." "Well they aren't" he interrupted "What do you mean?" "There's something going on. I'm not a hundred percent sure but it has everything to do with Clow, and because of that, with us. There's someone or something going after Clow" "Oh!" she stood up hysterically "we have to tell Eriol. We have to warn Tomoyo!! We have to... "  
  
Syaoran stood up then and held her hands together, trying to calm down the now screaming Sakura. He hugged her.  
  
"It's all gonna be okay" he said "Don't worry. It will all turn out well"  
  
Sakura was anxious, she wasn't thinking then, she just wanted to run away. It had never been like that, but after all those years of hiding her fear inside her shelter, she had to blow someday: and that day had arrived. She had just broken down. Syaoran held her stronger than he had before trying to comfort her but the only thing that he had provoked on her had been more tears. I don't want it to happen Syaoran.I don't want to believe you. I don't want to He could still hear her words torturing him and his thoughts. He embraced her like trying to protect her from an incoming hurricane. They found themselves face-to-face. Breathing faster than usual. He removed softly the hair standing between them and kissed her forehead. He ran his right hand through her face and kept holding her with the left one. He bent closer to her and found himself moving his lips toward hers. He was trying to kiss her. Sakura pushed him back and nearly smacked him.  
  
"What do you think you're doing Syaoran??!!" she yelled "Well. ano." he tried to think 'bout something to tell her "It's just that I. I" "You what Syaoran??!!" "Sakura" he begged "let me explain." "I don't want to hear your explanations. Do you wanna know what I think? I think that you.and.and. I. I don't even know why I came here!!!"  
  
She ran to the door, went out and slammed it making a huge noise, leaving Syaoran, whose face was now buried in his hands, inside of the house.  
  
She started walking with no destination. She didn't care about her father being worried or anything. She was just wandering around: wondering what the hell had Syaoran's attitude meant. It was so confusing. "He shouldn't have done that" she thought, "the only thing that he caused is more troubles. Our relationship was complicated enough by itself, and now. what am I going to do?"  
  
Suddenly and from nowhere, Kero appeared.  
  
"SAKURA!!" he shouted "I've been looking for you!! I was so worried about you!!"  
  
He made a small pause and looked at Sakura. She was looking at the sky. He realized then that, absorbed by her thoughts, she hadn't heard a word of what he had said.  
  
"HOE!! Oh, Kero-chan!" she apologized "I didn't see you coming" "It's okay, but what's going on with you? You're more distracted than usually" "No, It's nothing. It's just that." "What?" "Well, it's just that Syaoran." "Oh that gaki again!! Sakura, I've told you like a million times not to." "It's not what you think. He told me something about Clow and us being in great danger" "So" he said concerned "did he tell you anything about ShinJin Ni ?" "He didn't mention any name" "I see." he said placing his teddy bear's hands on his head "well you'll have to go see the gaki again and ask him" "No, I won't" "Well, you have to" "But I don't want to" "Sakura listen to me" he told her "If the gaki is right and we're in great danger, wouldn't you want to at least know about it. Besides, you've always liked hanging around with the gaki, what's wrong?" "Nothing" se replied dryly. Her tone becoming harsh. "You can't fool me Sakura. I may be just a card guardian, but I know a lot about love business. Furthermore, you owe me, big time!" "I said I'TS NOTHING. Is that clear Kero-chan?" "Crystal" "Okay" she smiled after a while "let's go then! FLY, Grant me wings!!"  
  
Sakura rode over Tomoeda for a while before reaching her house, she had had a lot of time to think and she hadn't talk to Kero during the whole trip.  
  
"Tadaima!!" she shouted at the entrance "Chotto matte kudasai" a male voice said "Kaiju, Okaeri" she recognized Touya's voice "I'm not kaiju!!" she yelled at him "how many times do I have to tell you?!!" ´"Seems like the kaiju is in a bad mood" he answered calmly "did you have a bad day? Did your Sensei finally realize that monsters couldn't take math lessons just like the other kids?"  
  
Sakura was burning inside, she was so mad, so angry. She felt like hitting everybody and running away, maybe also stepping on her brother. She was just about to run to her bedroom and add another slammed door to the list of that day when she heard another voice. A familiar one.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan" she heard the voice "What are you doing here?" Sakura answered "Are you just here to bother me?" "I don't know" "What do you meant by saying you don't know?!" she yelled at him "Huh, Syaoran?" "As you said before" he continued "I don't know why I came here" "I. I. I don't understand!!" "Believe me" he turned around "It's better like that. Arigato gozaimazu" Syaoran sighed almost in silence, but loud enough for Sakura to hear it.  
  
Syaoran walked to the door and left walking silently across the street and followed the path of cherry trees back to his house. He walked trough those empty streets, the very same that he had walked trough years before but with one slight difference: for the first time, he felt like crying. He had hurt the person he loved the most in his life, and all because of a stupid impulse *Well it wasn't actually that stupid Syaoran. You did want to kiss her, didn't you?* He shook his head and kept walking, perhaps Wei would have some advice or at least he could cheer him up.  
  
"What's up with the gaki?" Touya asked Sakura "LEAVE ME ALONE!!" she broke down "Hey!" Touya said in a more comprehensible tone "you can tell me what's wrong. I'm your oniichan, remember?" "It's all Syaoran's fault!!" she wept "I knew it had something to do with the gaki!!" he thought, but he didn't tell Sakura anything, she was worried enough to be bothered by him and his useless thoughts. "He. He ." she continued "he tried to." "What? What did he do?" Touya was getting desperate "He tried to kiss me!!" "WHAT!!!!" Touya shouted "Repeat what you've just said!" "I said. that Syaoran tried to kiss me" she repeated more calmly. "Wait a minute" he said in an I-can't-believe-it tone "you've just said that the GAKI tried to kiss YOU??!!!"  
  
Sakura stared at his mad face. He was so angry but in his eyes there was a sad look. Sakura felt fear and she ran upstairs to her room. She wished she had created a card to disappear in that moment. She was unstable enough to have to deal with his brother's miss of approval above and beyond. She really didn't need that then.  
  
When she got to her room she looked through the window and realized it was late night. "I wonder how he is doing?" she thought, but buried that idea in the bottom of her mind and went to bed.  
  
Kero was, by that time, in his small drawer but hadn't been able to sleep. He flew to the little table in which the Clow (now Sakura's) book was. He laid next to it and found himself next to a second book. Curious as always he couldn't help opening it.  
  
The day you went back to Hong Kong. he started reading .That was probably the hardest day of my life he knew it was kind of rude reading it, but curiosity was killing him and those words where full of pain and sadness. . I never knew that you actually loved me. Until you told me. And though, it was kinda late. Silly me, I couldn't realize it before. It was Sakura's diary, he was sure of that now and she had been certainly thinking about Syaoran when she wrote those lines.  
  
Kero felt bad. He had just been making fun of Sakura instead of being aware of the pain that was killing his mistress soul. He felt guilty but kept reading: maybe he could find in there something that could help. But there's still a whisper of faith, because, if you went back to her, then you will come back to me.  
  
"She's in love with him!!" he thought "She's in love with Syaoran Li!!!". In that very moment Kero realized it was the first time he hadn't call him a gaki. He also realized that he actually cared about his mistress despite all his complains. He flew to Sakura's pillow. "Why didn't you tell me about this before Sakura-chan?, don't you trust me enough?" he whispered disappointed.  
  
End of Chapter 4  
  
Author's notes: Hey! I'm back! Remember I'd love to know what you think! So push the button and feed me with a nice review. Come on, come on! Push it! 


	5. Confessions

DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
Dedicated to everyone who sent a review and to my cousins Danny, Jenny and Kheren who have always supported my writing. I love you!  
  
Chapter V Confessions  
  
"Sakura-chan!!!"  
  
Silence  
  
"Sakura-chan, wake up!! You've got a phone call!!" "Who is it??" Sakura said yawning as she wrapped herself beneath the silk sheets "Some Hiiragizawa boy" Touya yelled "I bet he calls because of something you borrowed form him and you haven't given back. He seems pretty concerned" "DAMN!!" Sakura thought "It must be about that thing Syaoran told me"  
  
"Hai!! Kinomoto's on the phone!!" "Say nothing, make no moves or expressions. Pretend I am asking you for help with some school stuff. Okay, now that we have established that. Sakura we need to talk, but not here. You must come to my house today in the afternoon: Before having tea..." Eriol said calmly on the other side of the phone "Yes, I understand" Sakura acted "English. right? And.is Syaoran Li on our team?" "Yes, he is" he whispered "why do you ask what you already know anyway? By the way, Tomoyo-san is in our little team too." "Whh.whh. whaaaTT!" Sakura yelled as Eriol cut the communication "No!! this can't be!! Oh, This sucks!! Why? Why is it that everything has to happen to me??!!"  
  
Sakura walked quickly upstairs and entered her room hiding her internal worry. She ran to the book and took out all the cards. She could remember Kero having taught her how to read things with them. She put them on the little table next to her bed and slowly separated them in three parts. Then she distributed them all over the table shaping a regular diamond. She flipped three cards: the one on the top, the one in the middle and the one on the bottom.  
  
The flowers.the time.and the love  
  
Sakura tried to figure out what those cards could have meant but after a while she figured out that it was useless. "I'm a hell of a good card captor, but I can't do this alone, I'm too inexpert and this could get out of control if I try to do it all by myself" she thought. Besides, she hadn't been able to find the love card since Syaoran's departure and she hadn't make any attempt to find it. She hadn't even looked for it that hard: "What's the point anyway. The card is useless. It can't do anything at all" she had repeated to herself day after day, night after night. Se couldn't help feeling lonely at nights when she used to call him years before.  
  
* * *  
  
Sakura knocked on the door of the giant mansion in front of her. She stared at the locks for a moment. They represented a sun and a moon beautifully sculpted. She hadn't actually looked at them before. Suddenly, the door opened with torturing slowness.  
  
"Master Eriol is waiting for you"  
  
Sakura entered through the doors and a long corridor until she found herself in the middle of a beautifully ornamented hall. The walls were all covered in red velvet and satin curtains obstructed light from hurting her eyes.  
  
"I was afraid you wouldn't come" she heard a calmed male voice "I wasn't going to come, to be honest" she turned around "but there's something we need to talk about. Urgently." "I am sure that we can talk about it while we have tea" Eriol answered without changing his expression "Please, have a seat Sakura-san." "What ever it is that you're gonna say Hiiragizawa, do it now" Syaoran cut coldly while looking at Eriol with annoyance "we don't have time for your stupid little games" "Is there something bothering you Li?" Tomoyo questioned without expecting an answer. She gently rested her right hand upon Syaoran's shoulder and could feel the tension irradiating from him. "I'm fine Daidoubji" he abruptly shook off her hand "I must tell you that, despite of what you may think and have demonstrated so far, I did not call you up for trying to kill each other with hurting comments and looks, but to speak a matter which will require our complete attention. There is a problem with the cards and we are all in danger." "If that is what you were going to tell us, we already knew that!! "Syaoran yelled at him "even the Card Captor and I had discussed it before you realized there were problems in town!! "So desu ka? (Is that so?)" Eriol continued ignoring the perturbed state in which Syaoran was standing "Sit down please and let me finish. As I was telling you before Li interrupted, A ghost from the past is coming after Clow, after us. Does the name ShinJin Ni sound any familiar to any of you?"  
  
Tomoyo grasped. The words ShinJin Ni did ring bells inside her head. It was someone in her family who had lost that name after getting married. Which meant that there was something wrong going on in her family, something that had surely to do with magic. But there were no magicians in her family. Not her, not her mother, and of course not her father. but there WAS someone now that she actually remembered. Nadesiko was her mother's cousin, which would make Sakura her cousin, at least by blood if not by name. So magic was in her blood after all. Maybe that's why she had felt so close to her cousin all those years, that's why she had always been able to feel her presence whenever she was around just the way Touya used to.  
  
"Something wrong Tomoyo?" Sakura broke the silence of her own thoughts "It seemed to me like you had grasped for a moment" "I'm okay Sakura" the blue-eyed girl replied more calmed "Do you. do you remember your mother? because I have no memories of her on my own." "My mother. I was very young when she past away" a silvered tear rolled by her face "She was a very beautiful woman. I remember she kissing me goodnight, helping Touya with his homework, starring at my dad while he was cooking dinner."  
  
She was crying indeed now. Syaoran's heart felt like something had broken inside. She wanted to hold her so badly, but her reaction after their confrontation the day before had been just too painful. He wouldn't make her pass through that again, not when there was no need. She was way too vulnerable.  
  
"Don't cry" he softly sighed "she wouldn't want you to be sad because of her, she wouldn't want to see you cry, you know?" "She loved flowers." Sakura continued swallowing her tears "especially carnations. That's why she named oniisan and me after names of flowers. Touya: the peach blossom and Sakura: the cherry blossom. She liked every kind of flower but there was one, the lotus flower, which she disliked. I never knew the reason for which she could never stand that flower but she always told us that we should never bring one of those home" "Lotus flowers??!!" Eriol and Tomoyo looked at each other and then back at Sakura as if they had found a missing piece in the puzzle but yet had to find out what the riddle meant. "Ni. lotus flower. ShinJin Ni" Eriol interrupted her "ShinJin Ni means lotus flower heart's spirit. So our innocent Nadesiko DID know something about this. I will need to talk to your brother" he pointed at Sakura "...and to your mother" he pointed at Tomoyo. "What??!!" "Do as I say. You know I would not put you through this if it were not necessary. Tomoyo-dono, shall we go contact them? This two surely need to talk about something."  
  
Tomoyo nodded and followed Eriol quietly outside of the room "I did not mean to do that. I know it must be very painful to her to talk about her mother, but both of us know it was necessary."  
  
Sakura looked back at Syaoran when they were left alone. She knew that something was bothering him but she wouldn't dare asking what was it. Instead she decided to step closer to him. She felt afraid of him in that moment because she hadn't seen him that angry since Eriol had tried to hurt her in their last battle.  
  
"I wouldn't hurt you, you know" was the answer she got to her thoughts "even if I wanted to I would never be able to hurt you. No matter how mad I am at you."  
  
Syaoran stepped closer as he removed a few strands on Sakura's face and softly caressed her cheek with his fingers. It felt good: unknown, but yet good. Sakura shivered and blushed as red as her skin would let her. He gently brushed away the remaining tears under her eyes.  
  
"I don't ever want to see you cry again. Please. It hurts. Promise me that you will never cry again." "I can't promise you that" she turned abruptly her back to him "not especially when you are the main cause of my tears" "Don't you ever dare saying that again" he roughly took her hand and pulled her back to face him, so close "I feel guilty enough for what happened six years ago. I wouldn't bear to hurt you again, to cause you any kind of pain... I..." "STOP!! Please... stop" Sakura cried "I don't want you to fell pity for me!! Maybe you didn't realize it, but I was in love with you too and you left me!! You just left me without thinking how bad I could feel! So don't tell me that you don't want to see me cry because it is your fault that I had run out of tears by thinking that you didn't love me at all!!" "But I. I told you that I. before I left I promised you that I. that my love." "That your love would last forever??!! As I see it, for you an eternal love lasts three months!! You know, I didn't sleep neither did I eat for weeks, I cried myself dry just until there weren't anymore tears to come out, I missed you every single day and I would pray every single morning so you would call me and tell me that you were fine. I missed you every minute since you left in that freaking plane six years ago!!! And you??!! You didn't even send me a damned letter to tell me that you were still alive!!! Why, damned, why!!?? " "BECAUSE I WANTED TO FORGET YOU!!! That's why!! Do you think it wasn't painful to me to wake up every day and realize that I blew my chance to be with you, that my love hadn't been strong enough to keep the both of us together, but specially, to know that I had made YOU cry, that I had made the person I loved the most in my life feel terribly sad?! I couldn't stand it so I tried to forget you. I thought that if I ignored you, maybe I would forget you and stop feeling this way, and luckily, someday you would be able to forget me. Like that, I wouldn't hurt you anymore, and I wouldn't cause you any more tears. BUT I COULDN'T FORGET YOU ALRIGHT??!!!!!!!!! God knows I tried but I just couldn't forget you!! I tried everything: meditating, concentrating in magic, taking extra classes, going out with different girls, I even tried spending more time with Meiling but it was all useless, I still loved you!!. AND I STILL LOVE YOU!!"  
  
Sakura felt suddenly drawn into some kind of attraction, a force she couldn't fight, the next thing she knew was that her lips were together with Syaoran's. His lips in her mouth, parting hers, exploring, drawing her into his soul. He lifted his hands to cup her head between them and gently but yet with some desperation in his movement, he pulled her into himself. She tangled her fingers in his hair: His cinnamon hair, which had always driven her crazy. They stood like that for a few more moments and then he broke the kiss tenderly.  
  
Sakura turned around and lifted her hand to her still wet lips. What had that been? It wasn't like she had never thought that she would be kissed for the first time someday, but she never thought it would happen so soon and specially, she hadn't expected to be kissed by him that way after he had left her. But it had felt good. She finally understood why Chiharu and Yamazaki would do it all the time. Her thoughts were interrupted by the warm sensation of Syaoran's hands enfolding her waist and his face resting on her shoulders.  
  
"I would give ten years of my life just to know what you're thinking right now" he whispered softly in her ear. She couldn't do anything but blush.  
  
Syaoran sighed...  
  
"Please forgive me" he said "It's okay, it's just that... I never meant it to be this way, but still..." "Felt good, didn't it?" Syaoran cut her words "I never thought it would ever happen... or at least not with you" "May I ask why?" "Because I thought that when you left in that plane heading to Hong Kong it had been for real" "It was actually, but I just couldn't bear it. It was way too hard." "I am sorry... I thought you wouldn't come back. You made me a promise and your word stood still, I was so stupid for not having believed you" Sakura cried a little bit in relief that she had been wrong all those years "but it still felt good right? even if we had all that pain inside ourselves?" "Hai, it felt good..."  
  
This time, it was Sakura who started the kissing, each kiss more possessive and more intense than the last one. They placed their hands at each other's neck in order to deepen the kiss: they wanted so bad to get inside each other that they merely came out of their own skin and if not, they would try to get to the other one's with such a desperation they didn't know they were capable to suffer.  
  
"It seems as if neither of you needed air" Eriol whispered softly but yet loudly enough for both of the to listen, which was, of course, what he intended "You were spying on us??????!!!!!!!" both Syaoran and Sakura yelled at them "... And I've got it all on tape!!!" Tomoyo squealed happily  
  
End of chapter 5  
  
Author's notes: Well, I know the last part was a little stupid, but I had to release all the tension (and there was way too much caffeine running through my veins). Anyway, the plot is getting complicated and we will soon discover who that ShinJin Ni was, but I'm sure that some of you know where I'm going already (Willie-chan is very happy to have such smart readers ^^), nevertheless, this fic will not be as predictable as you may think (hehehehe). Don't forget to send me your reviews and tell me what you think. Comments are, as always, welcome too at willie_chan_himura@yahoo.com.mx  
  
By the way, I WILL update "Tears and Blood", it is just that during the forty days before Easter I promised myself I would keep myself from doing something that I enjoyed maybe just too much (guess what was it? WRITING FICS), so my apologies for everyone who has been patiently waiting for another chapter, I promise it will come soon.  
  
Special regards for Miss Linay, who recently updated Broken Pieces. I've just read your latest chapter and it is wonderful (just as pretty much everything you've written so far). PLEASE continue working on this marvelous piece, you are a very gifted writer and I admire you deeply. 


	6. Old secrets are revealed

Willie-chan would like to apologize for taking so long to update. Willie- chan is deeply sorry! ~blush ~ bows ~ blush~  
  
DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
CHAPTER VI Old secrets are revealed  
  
"I still don't see what all of this has to do with us" Tsonomi Daidoubji finally broke the silence in desperation "Would you please calm down Madame, were trying to figure out something in here" Touya said in the coldest tone "Everything due its own time mother" "Tomoyo-chan is right" Eriol continued calmly "Everything will be revealed to you at its due time." "Hey little mister, who gave you permission to talk to my daughter like that??!!" the oldest woman said trying to slap Eriol who easily stop the impact with some magic instead of receiving it fully, leaving the woman in total surprise. This was not a young man who you would like to mess with. "Back to our problem" he started again while cleaning his glasses "we will need your cooperation Madame if that is possible" the brown-haired woman just nodded "very well. where do you come from?" "Japan" she answered in an annoyed tone, who did this guy think he was?, she was loosing precious time at the company and she had to meet with some American clients in less than two hours "And. did you have any female relatives besides Nadesiko?"  
  
Silence overcame the room as mimicking a sad, old picture that was finally broken by the sound of a tear crashing into the elder woman's lap.  
  
"I am sorry" she excused herself "Nadesiko and I were very close, she was the closest to the sister I never had. Back to your question, the answer is yes. There was another line of our family that came from some place else. I was never quite sure from where." "I see. and. do you remember who were the former members of that line of your family?" "Not really. It was a woman but her existence was hidden to our family. I was told her name once, but for some reason I just can't remember it." "Cast spell" Touya whispered to Yue "Impossible" Kero interrupted "that's western magic and we all know that no one but Clow had the heritage and power of both eastern and western magic" "So finally" Eriol said in a cold but yet concerned tone "revenge time has come, right Yue?" "I remember it vividly master" the winged guardian said "I just never thought that it would be this way" "Anyway Madame" he continued the interrogatory "do you remember the name ShinJin Ni?" "Actually, I do now that you mention it "she said in surprise to herself "that's the name of the girl that I was talking you about. When my grandmother was very young, she met our grandfather, they fell in love, got married and had Nadesiko's mother and mine. But the joy didn't last much because my grandmother died very soon. My grandfather was so sad, he had loved her too much; so much that he wouldn't bear looking at his own children because they would remind him of her. So he ran away for a couple of months and then was when he met her" "Her?" Syaoran made his first intervention in the conversation "Who do you mean by her?" "ShinJin Ni's mother" she lowered her voice "My grandfather was so broken hearted and she had been the only person who had felt some kind of compassion for him; slowly his heart healed and fell in love with her just the way she did for him. A year later our grandfather came back keeping two secrets until the day of his death: that he had fallen in love with a magician, and that he had became a father once again"  
  
Everyone seemed surprise at this brand new revelation. Tomoyo almost fainted at her mother's words and Sakura couldn't help loosing her balance, luckily Syaoran reached to catch her, which earned him an annoying look from Touya and a slight grin from the card guardian. "So all the pieces are finally together" Eriol exclaimed attracting everyone's attention back to him "the lotus flower, owner of the magic of east and west, will seek her revenge in every sense. That will mean a great danger for anyone in her blood line, and by that I mean you Madame and Tomoyo, as well as Touya and Sakura; and of course, her final revenge will be against everyone related to Clow, either by blood line" he pointed at Syaoran "or by magic" he pointed at Sakura and the winged silhouettes. "And you all knew about it right?" Syaoran said annoyed "You knew about it and you didn't tell us anything? We're in danger for God's sake! But of course you don't care about it Hiiragizawa because it will be the Card Captor who will be fighting for you! You know what Hiiragizawa?: You're a coward: you make other people fight your battles!" "Please Syaoran-kun, calm down" Sakura held his wrist before he could attack Eriol with his magic "right now the important thing is to know what we're facing. Please Eriol-kun, tell us about it" "I'd rather do it myself" Yue interrupted when the incarnation of his previous master was about to speak "After all, I was there" "Be my guest" "It all happened when Clow was still alive. As you know, there are two kinds of magicians: the ones who use western magic and the ones who use the eastern one; according to the legend the ones who had the power of controlling both kinds of magic would be the key to a better world or its destruction depending on how they used their powers. Anyway, nature is wise, and it is always in a continuous search for balance so according to this there would be two great sorcerers in order to find equilibrium: a day and a night, a sun and a moon, a man and a woman: Clow and ShinJin." "Each one for each clan. Clow for the Li; and ShinJin for the Ni" Syaoran interfered in low tone while holding in his hands a medallion hidden underneath his shirt. "That is right. So one day, a spirit came out provoking disturbs in the Ni clan, the spirit was really strong, consequently the only way to capture it was with a great quantity of magic, an amount so great that only the convergence of both, eastern and western magic could make. So the sorcerer was called. She was a woman so her powers were stronger when ruled by the moon therefore, made a great storm appear in order to capture the powerful spirit and lock it up in a card. Her magic was strong, yes, sometimes I wonder if it had been stronger than Clow's, but unfortunately her body wasn't: she couldn't take that much effort. She was finally able to lock the spirit up but she couldn't bare all the physical exhaustion and she died, leaving the storm out of control. "That must have been horrible" Tomoyo said hiding her face behind her hands "Yes, it was" the judge continued "after that, seen as their only hope, Clow was called to help these people since he was the only magician with both powers left. I was commanded to accompany Clow while Kerberos stayed just in case something happened to us, luckily, nothing did. I remember how impressed I was when I saw that young lady lying on the floor: her eyes where closed as if sleeping but her skin was so pallid, whiter than the whitest china; her brown hair pooled around her: a portrait of a restless death. But there was no time to lose, the storm had to be stopped. Clow used the wind to pacify the storm, though it required a lot of effort and magic. "I don't see what's wrong with Clow helping the people of the Ni clan" Sakura spoke aloud "Patience, kaiju. patience" her brother ceased her "After that, Clow and I wanted to leave but the people of the Ni Clan wanted us to stay for a little longer, just to 'thank us properly', they would said. They prepared one of the biggest parties I had ever seen in all the time that I have been existing to celebrate the vanquish of the spirit and after 3 days and 3 nights of great celebration they decided to consecrate the fourth day for the burial of the sorcerer. "But didn't you realize that the fourth day means. death?!" Tomoyo was in shock "Exactly Daidoubji-san" Syaoran said in the most serious tone "when a leader dies and a new one is meant to take his place, there are three days of party to celebrate the new leader and the fourth day is meant to bury the death one so the meaning of the four will remain" "And they weren't aware of that??!!" Tsonomi interrupted after having stood speechless for a considerable period of time "What kind of magician and guardian were they? I swear that if they were alive I would kick them for putting in danger my dear Tomoyo-chan because of their stupidity!"  
  
A small tear rolled by Eriol's face, how could it be that the Clow Reed was crying?. and for such an improbable reason. for a woman!!! For God's sake. for a woman!! He looked away "You are looking at the magician, Madame" he interrupted and sighed "I never meant to hurt you Tomoyo-chan but remember I have told you that destiny is so cruel that it shall not let me be happy, whatever it takes" he approached his hand to her cheek removing the small, silvered tear that intended to flow down her face "but now that you know" he ran his fingers through her black hair which imitated an ebony curtain down to her waist "will you ever be able to forgive me Daidoubji Tomoyo?" he reached to caress her lips with his and whispered to her ear "will you, Tomoyo-chan?" "Of course" she held him tightly "I will always forgive you Eriol-kun" "Tomoyo!" her mother protested "Sit down and stay properly still!" "Yes mother" the blue-eyed girl obeyed and sat down still holding her beloved's hand "Is anyone going to let Yukito, I mean YUE, finish?" Touya interrupted sick of the romanticism emanating from the young couple "Thank you Touya" Yue stated content that he wouldn't have to listen to those 'mortal silly issues' as he would put it "so anyway, we did not realize what the Ni Clan had done until it was too late." "And still did nothing about it?" Syaoran interrupted again "I told you it was too late. Clow and I returned that very day and thought that by walking away from them we would solve at least part of the problem, maybe they would not remember us and we would be eventually forgotten. But that didn't happen. People of the Ni Clan would follow us whenever they needed something related to magic like breaking courses and instructing the latest generations and all those kinds of things" ".The kind of things that the leader of the Clan would do" Syaoran interrupted for the third time in the judge's explanation "Precisely" Yue sighed "the kind of things the leader would do. Eventually ShinJin was forgotten by her own Clan until the point that her magic was entirely forgotten as well as her existence which became a story passed by generations turning into a legend and, finally into a myth." "That's terrible" Tomoyo said silently "after having given everything for them. after having died for them. to be forgotten. I wouldn't bear that" "Neither would she" Eriol looked at her straight at the eyes ". and that unreliability is what puts YOU in danger" "But we didn't belong to the Ni Clan." "Don't you get it Tomoyo-chan?" "Watch it kid!!" Tomoyo's mother pointed at her daughter's.boyfriend? "I mean. do you not understand Daidoubji-dono? It is all about blood in here! If ShinJin Ni is mad it is because she did not get any support from anywhere: From her mother's side she had the ungrateful Clan that forgot all about her; and from her father's side she had nothing, he wouldn't even recognize her as his daughter. Remember magic is not something you just get by hazard, it has to come to you by either way of your family and only some people are designated to have it." "And. am I one of them?" Tomoyo asked in disbelief "Am I some of those people who are designated to have it or am I just in danger because of someone else's mistake? "I am afraid that shall not matter" "You're just afraid of saying the truth" "Afraid you say?" "Yes, afraid indeed. You're afraid because you know that people like you, who have always had magic, may be guilty of causing problems to other people who also deserved to have it!" she finally broke down "You're afraid to tell me that you too know that it's not fair that some of us have to suffer the consequences without having had anything to do with the origin of the problem!" "Tomoyo-chan, please calm down" he tried to soothe her in vain "No!" she shouted in greater desperation "I don't want to calm down, and I won't calm down!"  
  
Eriol's heart felt like being broken in that very moment. He would have never wanted to see her like that, to see her crying. So mature, it was so unlike her to loose control like that but to many things had come together and it was just too much to bear for a 17 year-old. A girl like her shouldn't have to go through this pain. It was almost unbelievable that she had been smiling minutes ago.  
  
"It aint my fault all right!! Why do I have to go through this?!, I didn't ask for this!! It just isn't my fault!!" "Listen.I. I didn't mean to." Tomoyo's hands tapping hardly on his chest cut his words "Frustration" he thought. He took her by her wrists and forced her to look at him then, with the sweetest look he tried to comfort her. He drew his right arm around her waist and used the left one to force her to nestle her face on his shoulder "I am sorry, so sorry" his words were like a lullaby to her uneasy heart which found comfort in his arms "It will be all right... Yakusoku da yo (It is a promise)"  
  
"Is anyone as tired as me of watching this two making up?" Touya cut annoyed. "It's pretty much all they've been doing for almost one hour! One cries and the other comforts him, and then the other one starts crying so it's the other one's turn to comfort the weeping one and so on..." he said while mimicking them with both hands "If you feel so needy why don't you guys go get a room where you can freely exchange saliva all that you want!!!!" That was it! He had had enough of those two youngsters and he surely wasn't known because of his outrageous patience and that had been all that he could take. "You watch your words young man!" Tsonomi scolded him "and you Tomoyo, stop fooling around with this. kid.as if you were some kind of hooker or something" "Why should I watch my words? It aint me who's giving up spectacles" Touya answered in return "Your daughter is acting like a whore in this room and I should watch MY words?! Don't make me laugh!" "Oniichan(brother) don't be so rude!! You know they look so cute together. Besides, you just wouldn't like it if someone called ME a whore, right?" "Everybody just stop!!!!" Yue practically shut them up in exasperation ".just stop. We are not here to fight but to figure something out all right? And if you cannot bear it, well then you should leave"  
  
Everyone in the room stood silent for a moment. It had been surely a hard day and all this tension had just made it worse but they were all stuck in there, whether they liked it or not. After a moment of quietness it was Eriol who first spoke aloud again.  
  
"Shall we have some tea?" "I think it's a wonderful idea" Sakura agreed "Maybe like that we will be able to calm down and make up our minds in order to actually think of something" Syaoran joined while everyone else followed the English youngster into the garden where the tea had been already served.  
  
They all sat down softly around the large table in the dinning room. It was a wonder that such a big mansion was designated for one young man to live in. It wasn't like where Syaoran had lived alone years ago which had merely been a small apartment. He surely felt very lonely.  
  
"So this ShinJin Ni is a very powerful sorcerer who can also manage any kind of magic, right?" Touya, who hadn't drunk any of his tea, asked "then how are you planing to beat her?" "I never said it would be easy" Eriol stated "That is not what I asked" "Well" the blue eyed boy continued "we might not be able to attack her as simply as that. We will have to wait until she does, just the way we would with a Card" "So there's no way that we can get any advantage in this?" "Actually there is one. As I told you, Shin Jin's best skills were those belonging to the moon, as Clow's would be those of the sun. As I am the Clow's Reed, my powers, as Li's, will be stronger when ruled by his element, which would be the opposite of hers. And Sakura, for being a woman and handling a kind of magic different from that of Clow would be ruled by the moon, exactly as our opponent." "And what about Kero and the others?" Tomoyo inquired "The guardians shall be ruled each by one of them: Kerberos" he pointed at Kero "shall be by the sun, and Yue" he pointed at the angel-shaped creature "shall be by the moon." "But I thought my powers were ruled by my own star" Sakura wondered "just the way it is said when I cast my spell." "Of course" Eriol answered in a matter-of-factly tone "everyone has the powers of their own star, either way, there would not be magic at all because our powers would all belong to the previous generation and we wouldn't be able to make new spells or create new cards. just the way YOU did. Remember the Love Card?"  
  
Sakura blushed strongly and looked away, she hadn't had the chance to tell anything to Syaoran about that particular matter. She just nodded weakly and let out a soft sigh. Then she gave little Kero, who was biting worriedly a piece of cake, a look, which suggested to keep silent either way things would turn pretty ugly at home. The yellow teddy bear just smiled nervously.  
  
"The Love Card?!" Syaoran exclaimed puzzled "I was never aware of the existence of a Love Card" "I'll tell you later" Sakura silenced him "But I wanna know!!" "And you will, but not right now, okay?" "Okay"  
  
Sakura had been able to quiet him for the moment but she knew that sooner or later she would have to tell him the truth, like it or not. Was it such a bad idea to tell him everything about that card? She shook her head at that very thought, true she had wished to do it so many times in the past but the fear of his reaction remained despite the events that had taken place hours away inside the house, when they had been alone.  
  
"Well, if this is all you have to say, I, unlike you, have important matters to take care of at the company" Tsonomi's voice interrupted Sakura's busy thoughts "So excuse me but I must leave now" And by the time she said those words she had already stood up for the chair she had been sitting down on moments ago. She gave a slight look to her watch, gave a short sigh and gesticulated a few words about a deal with some American executives, which couldn't be heard by the rest of the people around the tea table. Then she quickly typed a phone number in the keyboard of her cell-phone and left the house  
  
"Well then" Touya stood up by the time those cold words had already abandoned his mouth and gave Yue a slight look "I believe we must go as well."  
  
Yue nodded. His wings slowly wrapped his body letting out a glowing shine and a few moments later, a calmly sleeping Yukito that was caught by Touya when he was about to fall straight down to the floor.  
  
"I believe I'll have to take you home again Yuki."  
  
So everybody left leaving the two couples alone together in the same room. The girls looking puzzled at each other, then at their respective couples and then at each other again. Their looks became sheepish and their smiles nervous. The boys simply gave daring death glares to each other. Sakura doubted for a second before becoming the first one to speak. That uncomfortable silence was driving her crazy. Besides there was something really important that she needed to discuss with them and that had remained unsaid in the whole conversation.  
  
"Do you really have all of it on tape??!!"  
  
Everyone's head literally fell to the floor as they assimilated the fact that they had grown up to be such cartoon-like adolescents. The kind of things that made their friendship so close and remaining were so... well. so stupid. But the thing is, they loved making fun of each other as much as they liked hanging around at the Penguin Park.  
  
"Yes, we do. yes, we do"  
  
End of Chapter 6  
  
Author's notes: Well, what do you think about it? Again, I am really sorry for not updating in a long time but I promise I will try to update sooner next time. Don't worry, there are only a few chappies left! Don't forget to send me your reviews and tell me what you think. Comments are, as always, welcome too at willie_chan_himura@yahoo.com.mx 


	7. Blood starts to flow

DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
CHAPTER VII Blood starts to flow  
  
"FLY!!!!"  
  
Was it heard Sakura's screaming when she realized a windstorm was following her and, with a fluid movement, jumped into her winged staff. Miraculously she got to evade it followed by Kero. Whatever this thing was it had to be stopped quickly otherwise she would end up loosing the battle.  
  
"TREE!!!"  
  
She tried to stop the fury of the growing hurricane by confronting it to the recently created woods. The branches painfully hurting her arms and ripping the pink clothe of her costume. Sweat falling down from her forehead and causing her hands to slip making the escaping even more difficult every single second. Her hair revolting because of the savage air, blinding her sight to the point she merely crashed into a tree. And she would have if Syaoran hadn't appeared in that very second and jumped onto the staff and directed it somewhere else.  
  
"Thanks" "It's okay" Syaoran answered "now keep your breath 'cause we've got to get out of here!"  
  
She held her body close to him and closed her eyes for a brief moment inhaling the scent of his neck. Lavender. It was so like him: so seductive, so capable to awaken all her senses; his perfume was a signature of his manhood. She shook slightly her head at the thought and decided to clear her mind: This wasn't the time for that. Maybe later, when they got come. IF they could ever get out of this.  
  
After a while of being riding and escaping from the hurricane over the whole city Syaoran and Sakura found themselves in a part of Tomoeda they weren't familiarized with. Maybe it was the fact of if being too deserted or it could be that intoxicating sweet scent but they had the impression that something was wrong. really wrong.  
  
"Syaoran" Sakura ventured to say "isn't Eriol's place on the other side of Tomoeda" "Yes, it is" he answered in a matter-of-factly tone "but why do you ask?" "I thought we were going over there" "Aren't we?" "Well. yes" she answered puzzled "then. why are you taking us this way?" "I'm not taking us anywhere." his eyes grew bigger than Tomoyo's when she reached a high note "You're the one who's supposed to be leading us" "Well I'm not taking us anywhere either!!!!" she cried as she realized that something way to strange was happening and that neither of them could control it. "I guess we'll just have to go with the river."  
  
And so they did, after a couple of minutes they reached a location in the outsides of Tomoeda that, if visited under different conditions, would have been an excellent place to have a picnic, but then again, the last thing that occupied their mind was having a picnic: there were more important things to think about for example: Why the hell they were there?. Or even more important yet: How the hell would they ever be able to get out?  
  
They landed next to a tree, a peach tree more specifically. Syaoran descended first and when he proved it was safe he helped Sakura down. With a fluid movement she jumped from the staff and pretended to have slipped just to find support in Syaoran's body. They both realized the fake fall but they decided to take full advantage of it anyway. Syaoran moved his lips closer to Sakura but she turned her head before they could make contact.  
  
"Sakura" he whispered in her ear "is something bothering you?" "No." she shook her head while blushing furiously "It's not because of you, it's just that. that smell. It's awfully familiar, don't you think?" "Now that you mention it. It is very familiar."  
  
The young man hadn't even finished articulating that phrase when a cold drop fell on his palm and as if done magically he felt a strong pain strike against his right shoulder.  
  
"You're bleeding!!!" Sakura cried in horror "God! That hurt like hell!!!!" Her companion groaned but tried to hide the agonizing pain in his words when he looked at her worried green orbs "Don't worry, it's not that bad." "Yes, it is" she said in with a nervous voice and put her left hand on his shoulder to heal the wound. Her surprise grew even bigger when she realized that magic wouldn't do the task "Why isn't it working?" "It must be some kind of stronger magic" "Why, dammed??!!! Why is this happening to us??!! I'm all alone in this crap hole, my whole family is in danger, and that freaking stink is killing me!!!" "That scent." Syaoran said almost in silence "It smells like lotus flowers!!!!!" "What do you mean Syaoran?? Do you mean.?" she just went speechless. Everything made sense now, that wound Syaoran had wouldn't just heal like that because it had been greater magic that had caused it "C'mon, fast, jump on! FLY!!!"  
  
The staff was almost uncontrollable but with some magic they were finally able to deal with it. They landed again at the source of magic that Syaoran's board had been announcing until it wouldn't work anymore. The light in the board would spin from one corner to another and then glow in the center.  
  
"This can't be happening" Syaoran whispered "the board has gone crazy." "This has happened before, remember?" Sakura said with concerned voice "this is exactly what happened with the Maze card - It's like.  
  
.If we were inside the card."  
  
"I wonder why it took you two so long to finally find it out" a familiar voice said which could no nothing but wonder both of the brown haired teenagers. "ERIOL!!!" "And who were you expecting? Madre Teresa?" The boy replied with a slight smile.  
  
He didn't have his glasses on and after a quick examination they found them lying broken on the floor a few feet away from where they were standing. They looked at his eyes: they were tired, pleading for mercy, even if he wouldn't say it. He was such a stubborn person sometimes. And there he was standing proudly with his staff using it as a rod if one looked carefully enough. They noticed he was bleeding in the same point Syaoran had been a moment ago.  
  
"E.Er.Eriol." Sakura began "why are you bleeding?" "This?" he answered while pointing at his shoulder "Oh! It is nothing! You should not worry about it" "It just can't be such a coincidence that Hiiragizawa and I have the same wound and had received it apparently at the same time" Syaoran interrupted. Great anxiety could be noticed in his tone. "You surprise me every single day that passes. You know Li, sometimes you can be so damn naïf!" The British boy almost yelled "I shall tell you what is going on but I'd rather do it fast, otherwise, this may get worse" he pointed at their shoulders and proceeded to explain "Do you remember what I told Tomoyo that day at my house? I told her that it was all about blood: about blood and about magic. ShinJin is after us and I have been convoked to confront her but this battle is not only Clow's: It is mine because of my magic, and it is yours, Li Syaoran, for being his own blood and his last descendent who has inherited his powers and is also ruled by his same element: The sun." "So that means.?" "Yes indeed" he continued "that means that everything that happens to me, while representing Clow in this battle, shall also happen to Li." "And what about Sakura?" "Sakura, for being blood related to the Ni clan and being the last one able to perform magic ruled by the moon for being a woman, shall be impacted by the same wounds that ShinJin suffers in this encounter. Therefore, as you can see" he referred to the girl standing next to him "I haven't been able to touch my opponent. "So that means." the Chinese one feared "that if we want to beat ShinJin Ni we will have to hurt Sakura?! I won't do it!" "But that would mean the end of magic. forever" "I don't care if that means the end of the world! I said I wouldn't do it!"  
  
Sakura was shocked, she couldn't believe that either Syaoran or her would have to die so the other one would live. She had pictured their future so differently after their kiss. That damned kiss had blown her mind and changed her in so many ways until the point she would never perceive life the same way. Perhaps all those new things had lead her to think that problems would be over now and that they would finally be able to be together, that perhaps, this time, fate had decided that it had been enough and that they deserved to be happy. It had been so stupid to think that things would ever change into romantic perfection but hope had always been a stigma that would follow her and never leave her as it would never let some wounds heal.  
  
A strike of red liquid against her face stopped Sakura's soliloquies to make her realize with great horror that the fluid that was blinding her sight was blood and that it came from both, Syaoran and Eriol's, arms.  
  
"Bloody Hell!!" Eriol screamed. It was so unusual for him to loose control and say that kind of things "Come on Li!!!!" he continued while pulling the Chinese youngster onto his very own winged staff. "SAKURA!!!!!!!!"  
  
The girl in question was left standing on the floor in great confusion. Green globes flickering incessantly full of fear as she saw blood leaking, either from her beloved one or her best friend's one, she couldn't tell but it was still horrible. However, she secretly just wished it was not Syaoran's even if deep in her heart she knew that all of her fears had been materialized into a cruel certainty. Tears fusing with blood into a mix of anguish and impotence.  
  
More red liquid came to join de mixture in Sakura's face blinding her, this time, flowing gracefully down from one side of her forehead as if a paper cut had provoked it. She could not notice but one difference: the blood was hers now and that could have only meant one thing: ShinJin had been reached by their magic.  
  
Her thoughts were again interrupted by a familiar voice, one that had gave her comfort in the hardest times and the one that had accompanied her best friend since Elementary School.  
  
"SAKURA!!!!!!!!" the owner of that voice yelled "Sakura what's going on? I can't understand!! Please tell me"  
  
The bleeding girl tried to calm her black haired friend whose eyes were now filled with tears product of, what appeared to be, hours of crying  
  
"Is he. is he." the girl sobbed "Is he going to die?" "What are you talking about Tomoyo?!" the other one tried to comfort her "no one is going to die here" "Sakura you're my best friend, please don't lie to me - the blue eyed girl continued, her melodic voice was now cracking" I don't care how much it hurts just. just tell me truth "All right Tomoyo, I won't lie to you but you must promise me that you won't do anything stupid" her interlocutor nodded "Yes, yes there is a chance that both, Syaoran and Eriol, die" the magician ended to brake down after the last word came out from her mouth. "And. is there anything we can do to stop it?"  
  
Sakura left her right hand to her forehead and brushed the blood invading it away as a tear rolled by her cheek followed by another one, and another one. and another own. The girl was crying as she realized that something could be done. and it WOULD BE DONE.  
  
"Yes Tomoyo" she said with her green eyes flooded with tears "there is something to be done in order to stop it." "And what is it?" The other one inquired "We will have to beat ShinJin Ni" "And exactly how are we going to do that?" "Well."  
  
Her words were interrupted by the sound of something heavy slamming into the ground, their eyes filled with horror when they realized they were the bodies of their beloved ones lying on the floor followed after a few moments by the winged staff. Their eyes were closed and they appeared to be unconscious. if not dead.  
  
The girls ran towards the youngsters and started yelling, screaming their names. Their tears being mixed with the blood of their beloved ones pooling itself around them and dyeing their clothes and hands red.  
  
A couple of eyes opened letting blue orbs meet the light again. Tomoyo practically threw herself onto the recently awaken boy.  
  
"You." he started. His voice was weak and broken as he looked at the sobbing girl's eyes "you should not have come. It is dangerous."  
  
Tomoyo cried and then regained her composure feeling relieved that he was fine but most of all to comfort him as her eyes met his sparkling confused eyes "you're wrong because I. because I need to protect you. I need to. I need to protect you from."she went speechless again as she realized the uselessness of her words and she understood that no matter how much she felt what she meant to say, she didn't have the strength to let those words abandon her mouth if they weren't going to be able to change the way things were.  
  
The blue-eyed teenager wished, prayed to every god that would listen so he wouldn't have to live her side, even if she didn't believe in any. It was then when she realized that she would do anything, believe in anything just to keep him from suffering the pain of being him. But she knew as well as he did that she did not possess the chance to do that.  
  
He was smiling, a small smile up at her, his eyes soft as the light from the sun danced across his face. "Tomoyo, you know that my only goal is to protect YOU" he said softly as he smiled up at her, his eyes soft as the light danced across the tears.  
  
She blinked, and tears accompanied her eyes this time "No!" her hands balled into fists "No Eriol, you don't understand. I want to be here with you because I want you to be happy and because. because I don't want you to suffer anymore."  
  
Her hands covered her face as tears fell to the ground splashing at the contact with the river of blood under her feet, her hair spattered around her as black ink. Eriol's hand reached to touch her braking at the instant the glass that covered that portrait of sorrow, his touch so light that she couldn't have noticed but she could assure existed. Her hands fell to her lap as her eyes locked with his.  
  
"Tomoyo" he whispered softly "please don't cry. Please, if you want to protect me, protect me from seeing you suffering because of me. Don't cry and I shall be happy" "But it ain't enough!" She broke down at the impotence that invaded her "I don't want you to suffer. I don't want to loose you!!" "You shall not loose me. And it is enough" he breathed "You ARE enough for me. Just remember what I told you Destiny is meant to hurt me. Because life is unfair and shall not let me have you without getting hurt but it doesn't matter."  
  
She felt his lips touching hers, brushing her own with that insubstantial touch he had demonstrated moments ago. She felt her body go weak down and her face lay on his chest; she could feel his dark against her visage. She could feel his breathing that enchanted her as a lullaby that would help her sleep for all eternity if she allowed herself to relax a little bit more ".It doesn't matter because I love you"  
  
"Life is unfair, my love" she sighed as she held him to her so he would never leave her "life is so unfair."  
  
End of chapter 7  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Isn't Eriol SO PERFECT? I love him!!!!!! (I WANNA MARRY HIM!) PLEASE REVIEW!! And thanks for reading! 


	8. Exchanges

I am so sorry for not having updated these days, but I've had a terrible week. Exams, you know?. I've got Philosophy tomorrow and I am studying like crazy lab-mouse because I usually write my fics during that class so I know NOTHING about it u_uU (I wish Hiko could KUSU-RYU-ZEN my teacher for being so boring...)  
  
Anyway...  
  
DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
CHAPTER VIII Exchanges  
  
"Syaoran." the card mistress sobbed in great anguish "Syaoran please wake up. Love. please open your eyes. please don't leave me. DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!!!!!!!" she cried  
  
Desperation took over the teenager kneeling by her beloved one: She felt angry, impotent, but most of all frustrated, so damn frustrated. Frustrated because her love hadn't been enough, because SHE hadn't been enough to bring him back. Her eyes, dry because of so much crying, narrowed and went then on fire as a crazy idea nestled inside her head. Her mouth twitched and her expression went hard as a result of that simple thought: No one would ever hurt Syaoran and live to tell the world and then, maybe then she would finally have her chance to make him happy. Make him happy at any cost.  
  
"SWORD!!!!!!!"  
  
An intense light flooded the scene and an unsheathed sword appeared between Sakura's hands that placed it with a quick, fluid movement in front of her. She was determined to vanquish the last member of the Ni clan per se. She gave a last glance to the boy lying on the ground and muttered a few words as she gave him a painfull look "It'll be okay my love, this battle shall be won by us. Yakusoku da yo" (It's a promise).  
  
"Let's see if this really works" she mumbled while pronouncing the edge of her recently obtained sword through her palm. The smell of blood coming out from her own hand provoked her an urge to vomit that she could fortunately help if she concentrated enough. Instants later, a red drop fell into her same right hand and then to the ground followed by its twin. This blood was a magician's but it wasn't hers. It was ShinJin Ni's.  
  
A newly formed tear rolled by Sakura's face as she placed the sharp object that had tortured her now red palm moments ago, in front of her own chest. She caught then a glance of her beloved and made her mind about what she was going to do. A life for a life, better her own than his.  
  
"Sakura what the hell do you think you are doing?!!!" her inspiration was cut by a voice which had an annoying British accent. "As if you cared." she muttered "Please Sakura" her best friend claimed "Don't do anything stupid, remember? Those were your very words." "In case you haven't noticed" the card mistress continued "I am saving your butts. Look this is difficult enough, so I would rather you didn't make this even harder, okay?" "You don't have to do this" Eriol finally sighed as he realized how determined she was and that nothing he could say or do would make her change her mind "I know."  
  
She just received hurting looks as an answer. She lay down and caressed the unconscious boy's lips with her own in a final manifestation that their love would last forever, it didn't matter if it wasn't in this world nor did it matter if it was in heaven on hell. The kiss was broken gently as if it had been a last failed attempt to have him back "Aishiteru (I love you)" - More promises.  
  
She nodded and closed her eyes but couldn't maintain them closed as result of the terrible images that were running through her head. She gave a final regretful look at the object of her desire before striking with all her strength to her own chest.  
  
She opened her eyes at the violent sensation of cold inside her body; the killing weapon had accomplished its mission and was now draining that vital red liquid out from her. A grasp abandoned her mouth as she saw her beloved one's eyes opening lazily while searching for something: looking for her most likely.  
  
"Sa. Sak. Sakura" the Chinese boy could barely articulate a word partly because of the blood he had lost, partly because of the impact that the horrible picture in front of his eyes had produced him "SAKURA!!!!!! Sakura." he sobbed at the urge of taking her in his arms and heal her "why did you do this??!!" "I made. a promise." she smiled "and we both know. how much pain is caused. when promises are broken"  
  
The brown-haired boy reached to hold her hand and griped it as hard as his own weakness would allow him. Why?! Why her and not me?!. He knew he would do anything to keep her from any suffering. How could it be that she would end up dying after he had sworn to protect her no matter what, after he had done anything he could so she wouldn't be harmed. after he had told her that he loved her?  
  
"You bastard!!!" a male voice cut his thoughts as he came to realize that his face was being hit by a hard fist. Nevertheless, no physical pain could be compared with the emotional torture he was going through. "Touya" he uttered "Shut up you gaki!!" The oldest man interrupted him "How could you let this happen? This is all your fault! That's why I didn't want my sister to fall in love with you in the first place but she wouldn't listen and neither would you, I knew something was wrong with you since the very first time I saw you trying to take those cards from Sakura and now look at her: she's dying and she's dying because of you!!!! A second punch landed on Syaoran's face causing some blood to come out of his mouth "I meant no harm." tears made their way through the younger boy's bleeding face "I love your sister and I would never hurt her and I would give up my own life if it could bring her back!!!!"  
  
An unusual glow invaded Syaoran's body as the Clow emblem drew itself with light under him and raised him with studied slowness above everyone's heads. Between his fingers, a thin object had been formed: a card. After that he was returned to the ground with equal care by that same light which disappeared the very moment he touched the floor. The boy, weak after this, opened lazily his eyes and saw the figure of the card lying on his palm. Oddly, it already had his name on it; above, a winged heart that appropriately read 'The Love'.  
  
"The kid is right Touya" a winged silver-haired figure whispered "someone's life could be given to bring the Card Captor back but it must be done fast"  
  
Everyone's eyes opened in disbelief. Yes indeed there was the happiness that is usually accompanied by hope, but there was also fear and anguish as they realized that one of them would have to die.  
  
"I will do it" Syaoran ventured with no hesitation in his voice "I wish you could" Touya muttered "but you can't" "Yue " Tomoyo said incredulously "what does he mean?" "The life that shall be sacrificed must not belong to someone ruled by other magic than the same as hers" Eriol explained "so that means that neither Li nor I can do it"  
  
An uncomfortable silence was formed after the English youngster's words. With Eriol and Syaoran out, there were few options if not any. If they were to find someone with magic ruled by the moon it would have to be a woman, and the only 'living' woman with magic at the time was Sakura. Plus, they were running out of time.  
  
"I. I have an idea." Tomoyo risked saying remembering a piece of a conversation they had had that day at Eriol's house "I remember Eriol's very words: The guardians shall be ruled each by one element: Kerberos shall be by the sun, and Yue." "No!" Touya yelled "There must be another way out!" "I would do it" Tomoyo replayed "but I can't, I am the only woman ruled by the moon and I am also blood related to Ni as well as to Sakura, but I am not a magician!! I don't have magic at all so I can't do it!!" "No. no.no!!" "I am sorry Touya" Yue said looking at him "but there is no other way" "But. but Yuki." "If it soothes you" Eriol interrupted him while putting his hand on his shoulder "Tsukishiro-san will live" "You were a great friend to us, Touya" Yue sighed as a farewell "and Yukito will never leave your side even if I am no longer with you. He is your best friend, never forget that." "Sayonara Yue" the Card Guardian said with a sad smile "I shall miss a lot you, my friend, you've always been so much wiser than I have. Do me a last favor, yes? When you finally meet Clow again, please tell him that this is the proof that we are taking good care of our new mistress."  
  
The angel-shaped creature just nodded and flew to lie next to the girl he had judged 6 years ago. He closed his eyes and took her hand ever so tenderly "thank you, my mistress, for showing me that life is an amazing gift, you gave it to me once, and now it has come the time for me to return the favor" his wings covered his silhouette leaving only an endless white around him.  
  
An emblem was shaped under the two lying bodies as they levitated and an intense light covered it all blinding the audience for an instant that seemed like an eternity. Slowly, they both went down again and the light disappeared the same way it had come moments ago. Thousands of white feathers blew directed by the wind perfuming the air with an unusual scent; the lotus flowers were gone.  
  
End of chapter 8  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, I hope you've liked it so far because this is the final chapter of the fic (Please don't kill me, read the next line). NEVERTHELESS, I will be posting an epilogue that is meant to give a closure to the story.  
  
So PLEASE, Stay tune and wait for the Epilogue (It won't take long, I promise!).  
  
As always, comments and reviews are VERY welcome. PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!  
  
Thank you all for reading. Love, Willie-chan willie_chan_himura@yahoo.com.mx 


	9. Epilogue Blood, magic and promises

Well, this is it! THE LAST CHAPTER! (Kind of short, by the way) And I am starting to feel somewhat nostalgic (I am such a drama queen!). Anyway, I would like to thank you all for reading all the way long and I will never be able to thank you enough for your support.  
  
Dedicated to everyone who reviewed (You're so great guys!), to my cousins Jenny and Dany (also fanfiction lovers) and to my wonderful friends who supported me during this project.  
  
Los quiero mucho y gracias por todo su apoyo y ayuda. ¡Son los mejores y les dedico esto con un gran cariño!  
  
Also dedicated to anyone who has ever believed in magic.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP. I am just merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes.  
  
CHAPTER IX (Epilogue)  
Blood, magic and promises  
  
Sakura held that slim object lying beneath her fingers, she hadn't expected to ever hold a new card again since her battle with Eriol six years ago. Her name was written on the bottom with dark red capital letters. It had definitely been a long time.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura ran and let the card slip slim of her fingers and land on top of the Clow book.  
  
The members of the young couple found themselves in a tight embrace as their muscles relaxed in each other's arms. Slight smiles decorated their faces followed by tears half from happiness, half from pain as they mixed in a kiss meaning a desperate attempt to make sure they were both there: alive, and that they still loved each other. They broke gently the kiss as a sign that proved that the test had been satisfactory completed and they left the room without a word.  
  
A light golden glow invaded the card that had been deposited on the book moments before. A warm carmine liquid flowed slowly from Sakura's name down to the Clow book and down to the one below adding a metallic smell that took over the room. A dark grin drew itself on the feminine face of the young magician on the card as her hands showed stained of that immense red that had formed, in the meantime two words under the image that appropriately read .  
  
* * *  
  
For love, many things can be done but what us, guardian angels of each other did, no one had ever done before. Therefore only four words the four same that had meant death, are left for me to say. So I shall just tell: "You judged me well".  
  
* * *  
  
~OWARI~  
THE END  
  
Started in January 2001 Finished in: July 5th, 2002.  
02:43 PM  
  
IMPORTANT. As you may have noticed, this fic was written a long time ago. The point here is, that when I wrote it, the punctuation was the one that is used in Spanish (which is somewhat different that the one used in English) so I had to adapt it and review those details. Besides, my entrance to fanfiction.net occurred very recently.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, It's finally over!!!! I hope you enjoyed it and that it wasn't just too WAFF. I really took a lot of pleasure from writing this fic and I hope my artistic abilities aren't just to vain, anyway, thanks for reading and let's hope I'll do it better next time. PLEASE REVIEW!!! Any comments, I am also available at my e-mail address .  
  
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!! ^_^  
  
I would just like to end this fic with a fragment of a poem I wrote a few days ago:  
  
Anyway I don't blame you For what I am as well to blame, For I have changed as well as you And the world against us decided to change. So as you can see it isn't our fault And still we're the one's that remain hurt; So if you have any comments or flames You can always send them to fate's address. 


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